Book Burning

[pmcd9]

What a topsy turvy world we live in.  Seems a lot of people on the left are up in arms because a minister somewhere wants to burn the quran.  I haven't read much beyond the headlines, but I presume this preacher is a right wing nutjob.

But aren't the roles reversed here?  We've had these fights before, but when it's the American flag in question it's the right that is all up in arms and the left that stands in defense of their rights.

So is the left anti flag burning now?  Or does this just apply to the Quran?

[littlefallsmets]

I think that the more responsible voices on the left have said of flag burning:

"it's a potentially offensive gesture that you probably shouldn't do but that doesn't mean there should be a law against it".

Which, oddly, is the centre-right position on the building giant city blocks away from the WTC site that plans to have a little Islamic prayer room in it.

I don't think anyone's saying that there needs to be a law against burning the Quran, nobody sane anyway.

They're just saying the dude's an asshole and being needlessly dickish in a tense time.

[CortJstr]

The other difference is we talking about our own stuff in that scenario. Is it legal? for an American to burn an American flag? Hell yes. It's both protected speech and a strong form of protest. Is it a good idea? Depending on when and where the answer is anywhere from "maybe not" to "absolutely."

Is it legal for an American to burn somebody else's flag? Yes, see above. Is it a good idea? Almost certainly not because it's likely to stir some serious shit. Unless it's like a Nazi flag.

Imagine how different this conversation would be if this preacher guy was burning a bible.

[pmcd9]

Imagine how different this conversation would be if this preacher guy was burning a bible.

Well that's my point exactly.  If it were a bible or the flag that was being burned it would be the right up in arms and the left would be out to defend the burners.  But the roles have reversed in this case.

I burned a bible once.  I'm unapologetic.

[Asherdan]

You go ahead and burn any damn thing you want and the good lord will provide someone you offend wanting to punch you right in your fuck*ng piehole, I s'pose.

Personally, I figure by the time you get to trying to make some kind of point by pulling off a public burning of some shit symbol you've pretty much put yourself in the dickhead faction.

Except maybe this guy. I can respect dedication.

NOTE: Paul's private ritual? Not my business.

[pmcd9]

I'm a dickhead for freedom. 

[CortJstr]

Well that's my point exactly.  If it were a bible or the flag that was being burned it would be the right up in arms and the left would be out to defend the burners.  But the roles have reversed in this case.

I burned a bible once.  I'm unapologetic.

I also think this would be a different conversation if it were a muslim burning a quaran. Because it's his own stuff.

I think this guy has a right to hold the burning but I also think they media has the right to completely ignore him and effectively remove all impact from the event.

[Asherdan]

See my note, dude. You didn't reach the ⁺modifier of making a big production out of it.

[pmcd9]

Well I did take pictures and post them on the internet, but I didn't do the actual thing in front of a temple or anything like that.

[pmcd9]

I think this guy has a right to hold the burning but I also think they media has the right to completely ignore him and effectively remove all impact from the event.

The media is going to cover it because it's interesting.  But what I found interesting is the hypocrisy I'm seeing by the left on this issue.

[Asherdan]

That's just their anti-domestic/pro-international agenda overriding their common sense. we mustn't offend the community we hope to assimilate with, y'know.

[JorgeFabregas]

Is it really hypocrisy, though? As far as I know, no one is trying to pass a constitutional amendment banning Koran burning.

[pmcd9]

That's just their anti-domestic/pro-international agenda overriding their common sense.

Yeah, that sounds about right, actually.

[Choop]

there's plenty of domestic muslims who are kind of peeved at this whole thing. far as i can tell, the outrage is based on some combination of fear of retribution by pissed-off muslims and pure shock at the tactics we thought our nation had evolved past. ain't no peace gonna come from this symbol, this burning won't stoke anything but trouble. it just seems to me to be simple-minded fearmongering, a tactic used by the losing side of pretty much every battle in the long war between equality and prejudice.

[jay-ell]

Let's also not overlook the significance of the Quran to Muslims. The written word of Allah is much more important in Islam than it is in Christianity or Judaism.

This is less like burning a Bible in front of a church and more like burning a tray of blessed communion wafers in front of a cathedral.